A lighter is a type of flat-bottomed barge used to transfer goods and passengers to and from moored ships. Lighters were traditionally unpowered and were moved and steered using long oars called "sweeps" and the motive power of water currents. They were operated by skilled workers called lightermen and were a characteristic sight in London's docks until about the 1960s, when technological changes made this form of lightering largely redundant. Unpowered lighters continue to be moved by powered tugs, however, and lighters may also now themselves be powered. The term is also used in the Lighter Aboard Ship (LASH) system.
20-661: Port Wakefield Circuit was a motor racing circuit located approximately 1 kilometre (0.62 miles) east of the town of Port Wakefield, South Australia . It was the first purpose built motor racing facility built in Australia after World War II , and only the second in Australian history. The circuit was created out of necessity in 1953 when two years prior the South Australian state government banned motor racing on public roads. The ban stayed in place until 1985 when it
40-551: A Uniting Church . The 1955 Australian Grand Prix was held at the Port Wakefield Circuit east of the township. The circuit opened in 1953 when public road racing was banned. It closed in 1961, when some of its facilities were moved to the longer Mallala Race Circuit . A proposal by the Liberal Party before the 2018 state election was that if it was elected, it would build a single lane overpass at
60-545: The Balaklava-Moonta railway line In 1927, these railways, and the remainder of the Western system that grew from them, were converted to the broad 1,600 mm ( 5 ft 3 in ) gauge. Due to various reasons, this particular line had become obsolete and the tracks were removed by late 1980s. A Wesleyan Methodist chapel was built in 1868 by a local stonemason and carpenter. It continues in use as
80-685: The Nullarbor Plain will likely travel through Port Wakefield. Due to its strategic location, Port Wakefield is known for its roadhouses and trucking stops. Just north of the township there is a major forked intersection where the Yorke Peninsula traffic diverges west onto the Copper Coast Highway from the main Augusta Highway . The intersection is notorious for road accidents and traffic delays, especially at
100-656: The 1 minute mark, with Brabham and Reg Hunt ( Maserati A6GCM ) sharing the fastest lap of the 1955 AGP at 1:03.0. The last race meeting, organised by the Austin 7 Club of South Australia, was held on 14 May 1961. Port Wakefield, South Australia Port Wakefield (formerly Port Henry ) is a town at the mouth of the River Wakefield , at the head of the Gulf St Vincent in South Australia . It
120-549: The Augusta Highway end of the Copper Coast Highway to reduce traffic conflicts. The party won the election and upgraded the planning to completely grade-separate the intersection and duplicate the highway through Port Wakefield. The contract for detailed design and construction of duplication of Port Wakefield Road through Port Wakefield and grade-separate the intersection with the Copper Coast Highway
140-706: The District Council of Kulpara, bringing local government to the area. In 1876, a short lived newspaper was printed in the town, called the Port Wakefield Times and Balaclava, Hoyleton, Blyth and Lochiel Advertiser (July – August 1876), published by Edward Richardson. A later newspaper was the Wakefield Sun (15 July 1910 – 31 May 1912). Another publication, the Port Wakefield Monitor (7 January 1915 – 26 June 1941),
160-481: The Repco Straight. This was followed by a right hand kink before a sharp left turn leading into the right hand TyreSoles Hairpin, the slowest turn on the circuit. A short run south to the right hand Kallin corner led onto the longest (600 metre) straight on the circuit, Thompson Motors Straight. Dunlop corner (turn 5), and Stonyfell (turn 6), led back onto the Repco Straight. Lap times for the circuit were around
180-622: The appropriate Crown Land, the company obtained a monopoly of the port. The Government declared the track the Great Western Road. A wharf was constructed along the bank of the river and cargo was transferred between the wharf and ships at anchor in the Gulf on lighters . With the opening of the railway from Adelaide to Gawler in 1857, the Copper Company's traffic came to a sudden end, leaving only pastoral produce to flow to
200-562: The end of holidays and long weekends. The town was originally named Port Henry by William Hill. The name of the town was changed to Port Wakefield around 1849, after the Wakefield River . In 1848, the Patent Copper Company agreed to build and operate a smelter at Burra . Seeking to reduce cartage costs, a track was surveyed to its port, established at the mouth of the River Wakefield . By securing leases of
220-544: The first line in South Australia built to that gauge. The Government agreed that the line should be operated by a private body. The successful tenderer was Paul Badcock who opened the line to traffic in January 1870. Horses were worked in three relays between the stations on the route. The choice of gauge was influenced by the argument that costs varied with the cube of the gauge. As this railway had its own port, it
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#1732798208549240-546: The largest ones can carry up to 300 TEU containers (empties). Lighters are usually not fitted with engines but are towed or pushed by tugboats. In 2007, midstream operators handled about 2 million TEUs and 5 million TEUs were transported as river trade cargo, which are heavily dependent on lighters. In the UK, some older lighters have been converted into houseboats (for living on the river). As they lack engine rooms and gearbox, shaft or propellers, this means maximum usage of
260-619: The port. Mixed farming was established on lands opening up by the Government along the River in the mid-1860s, and this called for improvement in transport to the Port. William Hanson, Manager for Railways, selected a route for a horse-drawn tramway terminating at Hoyles Plains, later renamed Hoyleton . The enabling Act provided for a tramway of 28 miles 41 chains (45.9 km) in length to a gauge of 1,067 mm ( 3 ft 6 in ) ,
280-628: The shallower waters close to shore. The lighter barge gave rise to the "lighter tug", a small, manoeuvrable type of harbour tug . Lighter tugs—or simply "lighters"—are designed for towing lighter barges. As such, they are smaller than traditional harbour tugs and lack the power or equipment to handle large ships. Hong Kong widely uses lighters in midstream operations where lighters transport cargo, mostly containers, between oceangoing vessels or to and from terminals. Lighters in Hong Kong are usually equipped with cranes of 40-60 tonnes capacity, and
300-597: Was let in March 2020 to the "Port Wakefield to Port Augusta Alliance", a consortium of CPB Contractors , Aurecon and GHD Group . This consortium is also responsible for the duplication of Joy Baluch AM Bridge in Port Augusta . Both projects are expected to be completed in 2022. In November 1878 the District Council of Port Wakefield was established, on the same day as the District Council of Clinton and
320-565: Was not expected to link up with any broad gauge railways which avoided any break of gauge problems. Following a surrender of the lease, the line was taken over by the Government at the end of 1870. In March 1876 the line was extended from Hoyleton to Blyth . Steam locomotives were obtained and by August 1876, the entire line was being worked by steam power. The line was extended at the other end from Port Wakefield to Kadina in October 1878 and to Wallaroo and Moonta by 1891. This soon became
340-497: Was published locally. Lighter (barge) The name itself is of uncertain origin, but is believed to possibly derive from an old Dutch or German word, lichten (to lighten or unload). In Dutch and German, the words lichter or Leichter are still used for smaller ships that take over goods from larger ships. Lighters, albeit powered ones, were proposed to be used in 2007 at Port Lincoln and Whyalla in South Australia to load Capesize ships which are too big for
360-773: Was rescinded to create the Adelaide Street Circuit for use in the Australian Grand Prix which had become a round of the Formula One World Championship. Port Wakefield was a small circuit for its time, in an era of three to four mile circuits. The limitations created a circuit of just 1.3 miles (2.092 kilometres). In 1955 the circuit played host to the Australian Grand Prix where Jack Brabham won his first AGP. Brabham's win in his Cooper T40 Bristol
380-584: Was the first AGP won by a rear-engined car. When it came to be South Australia's turn to again host the AGP in 1961, the Port Wakefield Circuit was declared inadequate and the 3.38 km (2.1 mi) Mallala Race Circuit was created. With part of Port Wakefield's facilities used to create Mallala, the circuit faded very quickly back into the scrub, though the outline of the circuit is still visible via Google Maps. The circuit ran clockwise, and started on
400-777: Was the first government town to be established north of the state capital, Adelaide . Port Wakefield is situated 98.7 kilometres (61.3 miles) from the Adelaide city centre on the Port Wakefield Highway section of the A1 National Highway . Port Wakefield is a major stop on the Adelaide – Yorke Peninsula and Adelaide – Port Augusta road routes. Travellers between Adelaide and any of the Flinders Ranges , Yorke Peninsula , Eyre Peninsula or
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